I’ve written previously and in comments elsewhere on other blogs that I’ve been less then impressed with Elections Ontario education campaign on the electoral reform referendum. In fact, I’d even say that description was almost an oxymoron, because in my view, its been virtually non-existent. However, I’ve received an email today from these folks (who’ve obviously read my blogging, because the fellow who wrote me acknowledged that I’ve had “differences with some elements of the campaign” - that’s an understatement if I’ve ever seen one; how about the WHOLE campaign to date) , who state that EO has officially launched the 2nd half of the education campaign.
Some of the elements they promised are going to be done in this 2nd phase:
- A province-wide French and English TV advertising campaign launched last week. The commercials will run between now and the referendum, and are available to view/download/share anytime on Youtube
- An online advertising program on high-traffic websites (i.e. Yahoo
- A province-wide French and English newspaper advertising campaign will begin in major, community and ethnic publications this week.
- French and English informational inserts that will be distributed to all registered voters along with their general election Notice of Registration Card.
- French and English informational householders distributed to homes across the province both in early September and again during the first week of October
- You can also add a widget to your blog which links to the Your Big Decision website that the Ontario government is running.
It sounds very promising - the education campaign can’t go anywhere but up in my opinion - so hopefully we’ll see a bit more exposure to Ontarions that they’re, you know, actually also participating in a referendum at the same time they’re voting in an election, and also are given adequate facts of what they either are keeping or changing.
More information on this 2nd phase can be found here
Hi Scott. If you have motivated the election authorities to an educational campaign on proportional representation, good on you. An informed electorate will cast an informed vote. That way the proportional side should win the referendum in a walk.